DE19627055A1 - Automatic dispensing device for lubricant - Google Patents

Abstract

A contact device is provided for the switch (21), and on activation the switch connects at least two contacts of the contact device. The switch has a sealing device, which prevents the penetration or exit of media in or out of the device. The switch is arranged in an opening of the housing (18) of the device and is cylindrically formed, having two circulating projections, the space between which corresponds to the wall thickness of the housing. The second of the projections is insertable through the opening in which the switch is fitted. The switch has no switch-off function. It is arranged in a cavity (22) of the housing of the device, and on activation does not extend over the outer periphery of the lubricant dispensing device.

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement of a control monitoring unit, for. B. a computer and at least one associated device for automati Lubricant release according to main application PCT / EP96 / 01577.

While in previously known automatic lubricant dispensing devices, as they e.g. B. from DE-PS-43 21 452 or DE-U-92 14 096 or DE-OS-44 22 407 are known to control the devices themselves, d. H. via its own control which, after initialization, the lubricant medium within a Press out predetermined time and possibly also over your own Ad, d. that is, the device itself provides information about the flush condition of the lubricator. This can be very cumbersome Lich when a variety of automatic lubricant dispensing facilities in a larger company are used, such as B. a large automobile mon day hall etc., because then mainly the monitoring of the empty condition someone always has to go to every single lubricator to find the one they need Get information. In addition, it is usually quite cumbersome to have one  once set programming to change if this is out of operational green the, e.g. B. is necessary for company holidays, downtimes, weekends etc. because the known lubricant delivery devices do not regularly machine are controllable, but have a time control, e.g. Legs Drain within one year etc., and thus the lubricator within another time unit, e.g. B. within 6 hours, always a constant Deliver the amount of lubricant to the machine to be lubricated.

It is therefore an object of the invention to reprogram a lubricant dispensing facility to simplify the lubricant dispensing itself better at the Adjust machine run times and easier display of the empty state to enable that.

According to the invention, this is achieved with an arrangement of a control monitoring Unity achieved with the features of claim 1. Advantageous further training are described in the subclaims.

In the arrangement according to the invention, the lubricant delivery device has Means for squeezing out the lubricant, e.g. B. consisting of an engine, which drives a piston within the lubricant dispenser and Means for direct and / or indirect detection of the state of the pushing out medium, e.g. B. in the form of a sensor that counts the revolutions of the engine or detects the feed of the piston. The sensor used as a means of detection determined status signals about the operation and / or the state of the out pressure means can be sent to a central control and monitoring unit, which this signal is further processed and the empty state on a display unit of all connected lubricant dispensing devices.

The invention is based on the idea of controlling a lubricant dispensing facility from within the facility itself and to a central unit, e.g. B. to move a computer. This requires a certain coupling between the control monitoring unit and the automatic lubricant Delivery device, which can be done wireless or wired. At A wired coupling can also be used to operate the lubricant dispensing device required energy are supplied via the line coupling, so that then previously known energy supply parts in the lubricant levy facility can be replaced.  

The control monitoring unit can have several control outputs, where each control output represents a certain timing, e.g. B. Output A stands for a one-month emptying period, output B stands for one three-month emptying time, exit C stands for a six-month emptying duration, etc., with an appropriate assignment of control elements stepless time control is adjustable.

By coupling the output of the control monitoring unit and the Control input of the lubricant dispenser becomes the means to get out pressing the lubricant, e.g. B. the motor in the lubricator controlled. In addition, the coupling is used to transmit the pulses of the sensor that the Movement of one of the gears of the motor or the connected gear registered. The movement or state signals of the sensor determined by the sensor Gears are sent back to the control monitoring unit, which further processed these signals for display.

Depending on your needs, the customer can schedule a desired lubricant timing Make the delivery device and, if desired, program the Change, regulate or reset the time control even during the runtime. It goes without saying that the central control also interrupts the Donation time possible in which no further activation features to the motor be sent more. This has the advantage that there is no unnecessary lubrication, if e.g. B. at night, during company holidays, during downtimes, on weekends or other downtimes the machine to be lubricated is not in operation and therefore lubrication is unnecessary.

As a level indicator of all connected lubricators, a display, e.g. B. serve a monitor of the control-monitoring unit or a light diode display on the control monitoring unit, for example five reasons and a red LED are provided and when the red one lights up LED indicates the end of the cycle and thus the drain state.

The central display of all connected lubricant delivery devices there is no need to constantly visit a single lubricant dispenser, to check their empty state. The stepless or individually adjustable Above all, the controllability of the lubricant delivery cycle intervals is controllable advantageous if the customer notices during the donation period that a certain Lubrication point is oversupplied or undersupplied.  

By means of the invention it is also easier to provide lubricators with a wide variety To provide lubricants so that the lubricant delivery cycles are individual have it adapted to the lubricant to be given.

It is also possible that when emptying a lubricant dispenser through the central control the means for pushing out the lubricant, e.g. B. the engine in connection with the piston returned to its original position Ren and the customer only the now empty lubricant container, d. H. e.g. B. the cylinder, decreases and replaced by a filled.

It is also possible to have all connected lubricant dispensing devices to couple with the control monitoring unit by means of an information bus, so that the number of lines is reduced to a minimum. Then it is advantageous if each individual lubricant delivery device has an identifier, e.g. B. has an electronic identifier in the form of digital data (BIS) and at Control of an automatic lubricant dispensing device the control Monitoring unit a corresponding identifier together with the Steueri gnal transmits so that the lubricant dispenser to be lubricated the identifier check can determine if the control signals sent are for them apply yourself or not. When sending status signals from the sensor your own ID is also transmitted, so that the central control Monitoring unit knows who sent the signal. As A so-called I²C bus can be used in the central bus.

It is very advantageous if the device according to the invention splashes water protected switch that complies with the international standard ID 65. Of the Splash protection is provided by an appropriate seal on the switch achieved, which also the entire facility for automatic Lubricant is explosion-proof. After activating the switch is a switch off of the facility only by switching off the energy supply supply possible. The preferred avoidance of a switch-off function is unproblematic Matic because the automatic lubricator is almost never switched off must be, but due to a preset amount of lubricant per day or other time unit remains in operation until all lubrication substance has been dispensed from the cylinder.

The switch is preferably designed as a cylindrical pin with a designed as a snap contact disc cooperates contact means. The jump  contact disc is on a circuit board together with the other electrical components len arranged to control the lubricant delivery. The snap contact disc has a dome-like convex cross-sectional shape as long as the device is not yet activated. The snap contact disc is opposite the switch, which is arranged in an opening of the housing wall of the device. Will the Pressed as an activation pin formed switch in the housing, so presses the front part of the activation pin or the switch has the convex shape the snap contact disc into a concave shape and the contact so bent The disc, which is electrically conductive, simultaneously touches two below the contact disc arranged contacts through which the device at Kontaktie tion is started.

The activation pin preferably has two circumferential projections which are in a distance corresponding to the wall thickness of the housing to each other. At One of the protrusions lies on the outside and the other protrusion is not activated inside the housing. When activated, the outside front jump through the opening of the housing until the former outside lying projection is on the inside and a return movement of the activation prevents pin from out of the housing. Sealant below the Head of the activation pin are arranged after pushing the Activation pin on the outside of the housing and seal the inside of the housing towards the outside of the housing. Another seal of the housing is achieved by the projection on the inside of the housing inner wall lies.

The switch is preferably in a recess in the housing of the device arranged and thus does not project beyond the outer circumference of the Lubricator.

The invention is also based on the finding that a piston with a Cross-section convex shape is very easy to manufacture and also in the edge area does not tend to release the gap between the piston and the cylinder. Above all, however, the lines of the piston, which is convex in cross section, can be used a sealing body is preferably received in a one-piece sealing lip are automatically against the cylinder inner wall at high pressure in the cylinder dung and the piston rim is pressed and thus for a very good seal worries.  

By adapting the cylinder head to the convex shape of the piston also complete drainage of the lubricant from the facility guaranteed.

It is also expedient if the device has a microprocessor and a associated memory and the device by means of this a certain quantity delivery per time can be preset, which is determined by the The switch can only be triggered.

To observe the emptying of the device according to the invention is the cylin derwand at least partially of a transparent material, so that the Silhouette of the piston or the sealing body can be seen from the outside. There is also a scaling in the form of alphanumeric or abstract characters are provided so that an exact Ab estimate of the emptying of the lubricant in the cylinder can. Such a display device is very simple to manufacture and in Reading and beyond that very accurate. Especially when the cylinder wall is out Is plastic, the transparency or transparency of the entire Produce cylinder wall very easily.

For better reading, it makes sense if the top of the piston or the Sealing body with a clearly visible color, e.g. B. signal color is provided.

It may be useful to move the facility from winter to summer switch and appropriate quantity / time presets in a non-volatile to save memory. The switch can be made by another switch to be triggered. This ensures that An Fit to the usual outside temperatures reached in winter or summer time.

An electrical one can be used as the drive means for the automatic lubricator Direct current or alternating current motors serve as such in the electroma mechanical engineering is often used.

However, it is particularly advantageous to use a stepper motor which Drives the piston inside the cylinder of the lubricator. The advantage lies especially in the fact that a stepper motor is suitable for the purpose according to the invention can be controlled better because it is dependent on electrical signals, e.g. B. from a number of electrical impulses, accurate to the degree and thus compared to tempera  door influences reacted more independently than with z. B. DC motors the case is. The use of a stepper motor thus allows a simpler overall Control of the drive from a control board, which is primarily a pulse counter device and a device which, depending on the present electrical impulses control the step size of the motor. That way can also cause the stepping motor to be switched off when the piston up to the cylinder's output area. This is done in that a number of stepper motor control pulses is given to a memory, and as soon as this number is reached, the stepper motor or the lubricator is switched off. There is therefore a switch-off device for the stepper motor from a comparator or a control unit with a comparison program, which is the number of pulses already set with the stored maxi times pulse number and depending on this a control signal to the Stepper motor forwards and a further movement of the stepper motor by one releases a certain number of steps or switches it off.

A pulse / control signal generator can serve as the pulse generating device, which time-dependent, e.g. B. 10 impulses per day or depending on the needs of Lubricating machine unit generates pulses, so that machine-independent gen operation of the stepper motor and thus the piston within a certain Unit of time experiences a certain step deflection and with machine-bound Control of the pulse generator the required number of pulses on demand generated.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a partial cross-sectional / partial plan view of an inventive device for automatic lubricant delivery;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the device in FIG. 1 along the plane AA;

FIG. 3 shows a partial section from FIG. 1 when not activated;

FIG. 4 shows a partial section from FIG. 1 when the device is activated;

Figure 5 shows a special embodiment of the drive as a telescopic spindle with gear ben ben in the extended and extended state.

Fig. 6 illustration view of a display;

Fig. 7 block diagram of the electrical control of the lubricant transmitter; and

Fig. 8a bottom view of a piston used for the lubricator according to the invention ver.

Fig. 8b is a side view of Fig. 3 the piston shown 8a, but not yet an O-ring 58.

FIG. 8c Querschnittsausriß from the piston according to Fig. 8b with the previously beschrie surrounded stiffening elements 57, with a groove for the O-ring 58 and on the piston side located seal body 16 as part of the piston 3.

Fig. 8d cross-section through the piston to the stiffening member 57 for centering the plate 10

Fig. 9 shows another schematic diagram of the lubricator in cross section

Fig. 10 cross section through the cylinder

FIG. 11a cross-section through the housing

Fig. 11b cross section through the housing taken along the line DD in Fig. 11a

Fig. 12a top view of the cylinder

Fig. 12b cross-section according to 12 a

Fig. 13 stabilizer element

Fig. 14 block diagram of a networking of a control monitoring unit with at least one lubricant dispenser.

Fig. 1 shows an electrically operated automatic lubricator with an electric motor drive, which drives a piston 3 via a feed rod 2 or a spindle. A battery 1 is used to power the drive. The type and design of the drive itself is comparable to the solutions disclosed in DE-PS-43 21 452 or DE-U-92 14 096. The piston 3 lies within a cylinder 4 , which holds a lubricant 6 or another liquid or gaseous medium in its interior 5 . An outlet 8 is provided in the cylinder head region 7 for dispensing the lubricant or the liquid medium.

The piston has a convex shape 9 in cross section, which is adapted to the shape of the cylinder in the cylinder head region 7 accordingly. On the back, the piston has a spindle plate 10 , on which the spindle 2 engages to propel the piston. The spindle plate extends over a portion of the rear of the piston and is connected to the piston crown 12 of the piston 3 via one or more webs 11 and is also centered via a centering element 104 .

Between the edge 13 of the piston 3 and the cylinder inner wall 14 of the cylinder 4 , a gap 15 is formed, which enables the piston 3 to be moved within the cylinder 4 . The gap is so small that a passage of the lubricant through the gap is not possible. To improve the sealing, an integral sealing lip 17 rests on the piston rim 13 above the gap 15 as a sealing body 16 on the piston rim. The sealing lip 17 rises from the edge of the piston to the inner wall of the cylinder, so that the sealing lip 17 is pressed against the inner wall of the cylinder 14 and on the piston 3 when there is strong pressure in the interior 5 of the cylinder 4 .

While the piston is arranged in the cylinder, the means for driving the piston 3 are arranged in the housing 18 adjoining the cylinder 4 , which comprises the cylinder in the overlap region 19 .

The housing 18 and the cylinder 4 are detachable, e.g. B. connected by a thread, mitein other. This allows the emptied cylinder to be separated from the housing and at the same time the locking of a filled cylinder from a housing 18 after the piston 3 has returned to its starting position. If the cylinder is connected to the housing in a non-detachable manner, it is possible, after lifting a backward movement lock, which prevents the piston from moving back into its starting position when the automatic lubricator is in operation, by filling lubricant into the cylinder via the opening 8 to open the automatic one Refill the lubricator and make it ready for operation.

Furthermore, it makes sense to releasably connect the interior of the housing, that is to say drive and electrical parts, to the cylinder and housing, preferably also the piston 3 , separately from the drive and its electronic control parts after the consumption of the lubricant, and a targeted one Disposal can be supplied, which is particularly easy when the housing 18 , cylinder 4 and piston 3 are made of plastic and can thus be fed to plastic recycling after consumption of the lubricant and the replacement of the drive and its electronic control parts. The drive and its electronic control can then be reused for the new construction of a new lubricant dispenser, which is environmentally sensible and economically very advantageous due to the multiple usability of the drive and its electronic control parts. This reduces the overall cost of producing the automatic lubricator. In addition, according to the polluter pays principle, the disposal of the lubricant dispenser is left to the person who also produces the lubricant dispenser, thereby reducing the disposal capacities for the user of the lubricant dispenser.

If the housing and cylinder are detachably connected, an empty cylinder can be used can be easily replaced with a newly filled cylinder and the empty one The cylinder can then be recycled. The different Principles and possibilities of the recyclability of individual components of the automatic lubricator will be described later.

Furthermore, the lubricant dispenser in the housing 18 has a circuit board 20 , on which a microprocessor 54, for example as an ASIC, and memory and further control devices are arranged in order to control the drive of the piston accordingly.

The electronics are preset by storing the corresponding values that the automatic lubricator per unit time, e.g. B. per day, one be correct amount of lubricant, e.g. B. 2 or 4 g. This preset Delivery is triggered by the switch and can then only by switching off the supply voltage one arranged in the device Battery. Usually, however, a shutdown is not necessary and the lubricator works until it is completely empty.  

In Fig. 2 a top view is shown on the rear part of the lubricator. It can be seen that the switch 21 , which will be explained in more detail below, lies in a recess 22 in the circular-cylindrical housing 18 and thus does not project beyond the outer circumference 24 of the housing 18 . The switch 21 is thus protected within the housing shape and does not offer any contact surface for objects protruding from the lubricator.

In Fig. 3, an enlarged section of the switch 21 and its co-operation with a contact means 25 is shown in the non-activated state. The switch consists of a cylindrical pin 26 which is inserted in an opening 27 of the housing 18 . The pin has a pin head 28 , the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the opening 27 . A sealing ring 29 is arranged below the pin head. In addition, the cylindrical part of the pin 26 has two projections 30 and 31 which are chamfered in one direction and whose distance from one another corresponds to the wall thickness of the housing 18 . Due to the circumferential projections 30 and 31 , the diameter of which is greater than that of the opening 27 , a pre-fixation of the pin 26 is achieved in the housing wall. From their bevel From the pin 26 can be inserted from the outside into the housing 18 , but as soon as the second projection 31 has been inserted through the opening 27 , the switch 21 can only be pulled out of the opening 27 with great force. In the interior of the housing, the switch 21 on the circuit board 20 is assigned a snap contact disk 23 as contact means 25 , which in the non-active state has a convex or dome-like curvature 32 of a metallic plate 33 , below which are two contacts 34 , the conductive connection of which engages the device triggers.

In FIG. 4, the activation of the lubricator by pushing the pin is shown in the housing 18 26. By means of the front part 35 of the activation pin, the curved part 32 of the snap contact disk 25 is pressed down to such an extent that the snap contact disk touches the contacts 34 lying beneath it at the same time, thus establishing an electrical connection between the two contacts 34 . If the pin 26 is removed thereafter, it remains in the contacting and thus when the lubricator is switched on or in an alternative embodiment, the snap contact disk can be moved back into its starting position shown in FIG. 3 and thus decouples the electrical parts for driving the automatic lubricator from the power supply.

It can also be seen that the second projection 30 of the pin 26 lies within the housing 18 and prevents the switch 21 from being pulled out. At the same time, however, it also seals the interior of the lubricator against the outside and inside against the outside of the lubricator. For a further seal provides the seal 29 which is pressed between the pin head 28 and the outer wall of the housing 18 . Due to the sealing measures shown, splash water protection and explosion protection are achieved, since the interior of the housing is sealed against external influences and the exterior of the housing against malfunctions such. B. sparks or electrical flashovers is shielded. Such protection is particularly necessary when such a lubricator is used in the mine, where the triggering of explosions must be prevented.

Fig. 5 shows in Fig. 5a a - single or multi-stage - telescopic spindle with geared nem gear in the extended state, while in Fig. 5b the telescopic spindle is extended to the maximum stop. The use of a telescopic spindle to propel the piston saves a lot of space and is also a very precise means of propelling the piston because even the smallest changes in length can be set with a telescopic spindle.

To avoid the lubricant in the cylinder due to reduced lubricant consumption, e.g. B. when switching off the unit to be lubricated, too high a pressure due to the further propulsion of the piston, it has proven to be very advantageous to provide a pressure sensor 36 coupled to the microprocessor, the device as long as a certain pressure in the cylinder is exceeded switches off until the pressure has dropped below a specified value. Such a pressure sensor 36 can, as shown, also be used within the cylinder 4 in the rear area of the housing 18 if the pressure sensor can measure the force acting on the piston. Preferably, the pressure sensor 36 is arranged on the vertex of the piston 3 , so that it can protrude into the outlet area 8 of the cylinder when the piston is advanced, in order to press the last residues of the lubricant out of the outlet area.

The entire cylinder or only a part of it is for reading the piston jacking transparent, i.e. transparent, trained. This is particularly easy then achieve if the cylinder is made of plastic or glass.  

If the piston is advanced, the observer can see the piston rim or the Recognize the sealing lip through the transparent cylinder housing and thus one Make an estimate of the lubricant used so far.

For a more precise determination, it has proven to be very advantageous if the Cylinder in the transparent area along its main axis a scaling in shape from alphanumeric characters or abstract characters like simple dashes having. It may be very advantageous that the distance between a certain amount of lubricant delivery corresponds and a corresponding assignment of the lubricants dispensed amount to the distance between the scaling marks on the housing is. Thus, the viewer can see the lubricant dispensed very quickly Determine the quantity or make a statement about the lubricant still present meet crowd. The smaller the distance between the scaling characters, the more the estimate is more precise.

Since with a preset of the lubricant delivery to z. B. 4 g per day Submission is gradual, the submission notification is particularly accurate when A scaling symbol is assigned to the set delivery quantity per unit of time is.

For improved reading of the delivery, it is useful if the piston rim 13 or the sealing lip 17 is provided in a striking color design, so that there is a very visible difference between the piston rim 13 and the transparent material. For faster reading of the reading, it may also be advisable to give each scaling character a consecutive number that makes counting easier.

A replaceable battery can be used to supply the lubricant with energy or an accumulator can be used, but also a grid-dependent chip power supply.

Instead of using a spindle, it is of course also possible to advance the piston to achieve a worm gear, which is usually a considerable height efficiency than a spindle, but sometimes a little more space needed.  

By presetting the dosage it is possible to use lubricants provided setting means for dosing quantity control are always dispensed with, which facilitates the entire construction of the lubricator and a verver allows more casual delivery.

It is expedient and advantageous to use a stepping motor 55 as the drive, which drives the spindle 2 or the piston 3 depending on supplied electrical pulses or signals. For this purpose, a pulse / control signal generator 53 is provided on the circuit board 20 , which generates a certain number of electrical pulses / control signals within a certain time unit and feeds these signals to a control evaluation unit 54 of the stepping motor 55 - FIGS. 7-. In this way, a control or a drive is achieved which is independent of external influences and, above all, in principle avoids the disadvantages of a temperature dependency which is regularly given in direct current drives. In this way, the lubricator or the stepper motor can also be switched off by providing in the control evaluation unit 54 a counter evaluation unit which counts the control pulses delivered to the stepper motor in one volatile memory RAM, and compared with a predetermined value "pulse maximum number", which is stored in a non-volatile memory ROM. The "maximum pulse count" corresponds to the maximum propulsion of the piston 3 in the cylinder when the piston touches the cylinder inner wall 7 in the cylinder head region. The evaluation unit then compares the number of control pulses delivered with the value "maximum pulse number" and the control unit 54 then switches off the stepper motor when the number of control pulses corresponds to the number of the stored "maximum pulse number". If the number of control pulses counted is below the "maximum pulse number", the propulsion of the spindle or the piston is released by the increment corresponding to the control pulse emitted.

The lubricant delivery as such is switched on as described above by the switch 21 , which is connected to the control unit.

If the lubricant dispenser is provided, connected or connected with a corresponding display unit 50 in the form of a display as shown in FIG. 6, the number of counting pulses emitted and thus a measure of the quantity of lubricant dispensed or a measure of the quantity of residual lubricant can be displayed there it in absolute numbers (e.g. 1225), or as a percentage (e.g. 12.5%) and / or in relation to the total number (1225/5000), so that the user of the lubricator is always very precise can inform the piston deflection and the amount of lubricant dispensed or remaining in the lubricator.

The display can also take place in such a way that the display 50 has two different types of alphanumeric or abstract characters, namely a first character group consisting of a number of first characters 51 , the number of the first characters being the same as that of the others Stepper motor delivered number of control pulses is proportional and and consists of a second group of characters consisting of a second number of characters, the number of first and second characters being proportional to the number of total possible control pulses and thus being a measure of the total amount of lubricant. Such an incremental display, especially with a stepper motor as an incremental drive, is very simple and accurate with regard to the absolute display of the absolute and finest changes in the quantity of lubricant dispensed or the quantity of residual lubricant.

For the end stop of the stepper motor, a can be used instead of a pressure sensor Current consumption monitoring device can be provided, which, as soon as a previously programmed maximum motor current consumption exceeded is switched off, the electronics and thus the lubricator.

With machine-dependent control, i.e. H. if the machine to be lubricated control unit to the lubricant according to its lubricant requirement dispenser, the display allows a very precise display of the dispensed ne amount of lubricant in absolute numbers, d. H. in ml per unit of time, from which the Machine maintenance personnel also provide more information about the condition and Receives wear on the machine to be lubricated. This may make it easier making decisions about the continued operation of the machines to be lubricated unit or the replacement of certain aggregates that are just before the Failure.

In order to be able to control the amount of lubricant dispensed in a DC motor, it can also be provided that there is a metallic projection designed as a pin on a gear wheel of the transmission and rotates with this gear wheel. With each revolution of the gear, the path of this pin leads past a diode or other detection means, which triggers a signal pulse. This signal is detected by the microprocessor 54 on the circuit board and fed to a counter which counts the signals triggered by the diode. If the number of signals counted by the counter reaches a certain value which corresponds to a value in which the lubricant medium is completely pushed out or the piston has its maximum propulsion, the microprocessor switches off the drive system.

In the machine-dependent control of the automatic lubricator it is provided that the lubricator is activated or deactivated contactlessly by means of a magnetic switch. For this purpose, a magnetic switch is mounted on the board 20 so that it is as close as possible to the wall of the housing cover. Furthermore, a coil is attached to the housing cover, which switches the magnetic switch inside the housing when current flows and activates or deactivates the drive. If there is no voltage on the coil, the drive system is deactivated. If the coil is live, the drive system is activated. The voltage signals supplied to the coil are supplied by the machine unit to be lubricated and the non-contact control of the drive permits mechanical decoupling between live lines outside the housing from the interior of the housing and thus automatically avoids possible flashover voltages. This ensures effective explosion and water protection for the automatic lubricator.

The coil, preferably cast with an iron core in plastic, is constructed in such a way that it can be pressed into a recess in the housing provided for this purpose with a simple movement and is therefore comparable to the pin 21 within the contour of the housing. By encapsulating the inside of the lubricator against the outside as described above, a very effective and cost-effective explosion and splash protection of the automatic lubricator is achieved.

If the automatic lubricator is completely empty, there are two basic alternatives for further use of the automatic lubricator. Therefore, on the other hand, it is advantageous to replace only those components that are subject to heavy loads and can be replaced inexpensively. This is e.g. B. the cylinder, the housing 18 and the piston 5 , which with detachable connection to the drive and the electronic control parts, for. B. the circuit board 20 , after emptying the lubricant separated and fed to a targeted plastic recycling.

If the housing and cylinder are detachably connected to each other, then a resolution should be found This connection is only possible using a special tool suitable for this purpose be with the abusive separation of housing and cylinder to avoid the consequences.

Furthermore, if the entire inner life of the housing, in particular the drive and the electronic control components, is designed to be detachable from the housing, it can also be advantageous if the snap contact disk can be moved back into its initial shape as shown in FIG. 3 after the activation pin has been removed by means of appropriate measures . As an alternative to this, however, the interchangeability of the pressed-in snap contact disk by a not yet pressed-in snap contact disk is also possible by inserting a new snap contact disk into a corresponding socket on the circuit board 20 .

When reusing the interior of the automa table lubricant dispenser plastic parts of the cylinder and the housing the disposal or recycling and thus automatically by the electrical metallic parts of the drive system separately. This kit wise has great advantages in the manufacture of the lubricator.

Another alternative to restarting the automatic lubricator is that a switchable backstop is provided for the piston, which allows the movement of the piston in its original starting position when refilling the cylinder. The cylinder can then be filled by pouring lubricant into the cylinder via the outlet opening 8 , the piston being pushed back into its initial position when the cylinder is filled.

Depending on the area of application and location, one is sometimes the other for recycling and refilling the automatic lubricator advantageous.

Fig. 8a shows the bottom view of a piston 3 with corresponding Bracing and stiffening elements 57 to a deformation of the flask at Initial startup counter. In view of the fact that the pressure in the lubricant interior can be 4 bar and more, such stiffening elements 57 are appropriate. Furthermore, the piston is equipped with an O-ring 58 in order to ensure a good seal between the cylinder interior and the cylinder wall.

Fig. 8b shows a side view of the piston 3 with a groove 59 for the O-ring 58.

Fig. 8c shows an enlarged cross-sectional view from the piston according to Fig. 8b, with the previously described stiffening elements 57 , the groove 59 for the O-ring 58 and sealing body 16 located on the piston side as part of the piston. The sealing bodies seal the cylinder space from the housing.

Fig. 8d shows again a total cross-section through the piston to the stiffening member 57 for centering the plate 10.

As already described, the motor for propelling the piston is preferably a direct current motor 90 which is controlled by electronics. The rotation of the motor shaft (not shown) is geared down via the gear 91 , which is preferably designed as a gear transmission, for. B. in a ratio of 1: 6221. The lubricant dispenser is supplied with energy by means of the battery 1 , the batteries preferably consisting of three alkaline mignon cells - FIG. 11a, which are packed side by side in a stocking hose, are connected in series and are completely connected a plug contact are wired. The plug only has to be plugged into the socket on the electronics (not shown).

The rotation of the motor is converted into a linear movement of the piston as follows:
There is a threaded bush in the last gear of the gearbox. A threaded or feed rod 2 secured against rotation is located in this threaded bushing. If the last gear wheel turns when the motor 90 is activated, the threaded rod is unscrewed. The pitch of the thread is very small and is preferably 0.5 mm. If the motor rotates 6221 times, the last gear wheel has made a complete revolution and the feed or threaded rod 2 and thus also the piston 3 have covered a travel distance of 0.5 mm. Furthermore, a poorly reflecting area is provided on the first driven gear of the transmission 91 .

On the electronics there are buttons, two sockets - 2- pin for battery, 6- pin for motor and sensor -, a microprocessor, a time quartz and various resistors. These parts are equipped with SMD.

How the electronics work:
On the first driven gear is the poorly reflecting area already mentioned, e.g. B. a black, matte plastic sticker that reflects significantly poorer Lich than the brass of the gear. An optical infrared sensor is mounted in the gear plate above the gear. This sensor consists of a transmitter and a receiver. The electronics are now given exactly how often a signal must come from the sensor in order to have completed the entire travel. The system then switches off punctually after the preset runtime.

Tests have determined how long it takes at 4 bar cylinder pressure, to get X signals from the sensor. This describes the "worst case". If the X signals have not been recognized within this specified time, this switches System since either there must be a technical defect (motor, battery, Gear or sensor), or the pressure of 4 bar has been exceeded (Engine speed decreases).

This is advantageous because the speed can also change during the runtime or will change due to temperature or battery voltage influences; however, it is guaranteed that there is always the same amount of lubricant from the cylinder is pushed out.

There are two resistors on the electronics to preset the run times brings. Because there are four positions where these resistors are attached there are four different options, the four different run times ten mean z. B. 1, 3, 6, or 12 months.

The control device is predefined that in 12-month operation approximately every 6th Hours to be lubricated in order to achieve a one-shift operation To ensure lubrication point supply. So with a 12-month donor a pressure builds up in the cylinder every 6 hours. Because the duration of the pressure build-up is always the same, the different terms differ only in that the break between donations is different. A 6 month donor  runs every 3 hours, a 3-month donor every 90 minutes, a 1-month dispenser every 30 minutes. This is advantageous because it is important for a short term the impulses to come as shortly as possible in order to create a permanent Coming up to pressure as close as possible. With long terms, this is less than orderly meaning.

The activation pin is pre-pressed into the cover as previously described. The user pushes this activation pin all the way into the housing of the lubricant into the dispenser, the system is activated.

The identification to the user which default setting for the using a lubricator is programmed by means of a marking the activation pin, e.g. B. by a color marking.

After activation, the sensor is automatically adjusted first. There the electronics specify the time in which X signals come from the sensor the intensity of the sensor is changed until the receiver received this signal optimally. This is done by having 16 different ones Settings of the sensor current gives what is a change in brightness of the Transmitter means. If the intensity of the transmitter is too high, it may be that the black sticker reflecting the infrared ray. If the intensity is too low, it could it also doesn't reflect the brass of the gear. This automatic adjustment of the sensor takes about 4 seconds. Should not be the default during this time Number of signals are recognized, the system runs again for 4 seconds, without having to adjust again. Switches the system after 4 seconds off, the sensor works optimally, the system is OK. But the system is running There is no defect at all or for 8 seconds.

The amount of lubricant is dispensed according to the teaching of DE-A-43 21 552 a predetermined setting affects the duration of the lubricant delivery. Here is an open-loop control. In the described according to the invention By contrast, the lubricant dispenser does not directly increase the amount of lubricant monitored over a period of time. This is the volume of lubricant dispensed measured using the electronics described above and the lubricant supply Delivery of a predetermined volume - this corresponds to the corresponding one Feed path stopped. The volume of lubricant dispensed is measured over the number of engine revolutions or signal pulses. It  is a closed control loop, which differs significantly from the open-loop control DE-A-43 21 552 differs.

Fig. 9 shows a further schematic representation of the lubricant dispenser according to the invention with batteries 1 for energy supply, a feed rod 2 , which is driven by a motor 90 and in which a gear 91 , preferably a reduction gear between the feed rod 2 and the motor 90 is arranged. The feed rod is connected to the piston 3 , which is arranged within a cylinder 4 with a transparent cylinder wall with an integrated scale described above. Lubricant 6 is located in the cylinder and can be dispensed via a discharge opening 8 . In the not yet operational state after the production of the lubricant dispenser, the dispensing opening 8 is provided with a closure cap 92 which is integrally connected to the cylinder wall or the dispensing opening 8 . Before using the lubricator, the cap 92 must be removed, e.g. B. by cutting. Furthermore, the delivery area of the cylinder is provided on the outside with an external thread 93 in order to be screwed into a lubrication point with corresponding internal threads.

Furthermore, the previously described switch 21 and this one switch 21 opposite board 20 with the control electronics located thereon are indicated.

Preferably, the sealing cap 92 projects beyond the external thread 93 in its outer circumference, so that screwing the external thread into a lubrication point is only possible after the sealing cap has been detached. Such an embodiment is shown in FIGS . 10, 12a and 12b. A thread 100 is also shown in FIG. 10, which is used for screwing to a corresponding counter thread of the housing — see FIG. 11 a. After being screwed to the housing, the cylinder is preferably no longer detachable from the housing. A border 101 facing away from the cylinder wall serves for better sealing and fixing of the screw closure.

Fig. 11a shows in a further embodiment, the housing part 18 of the lubricant dispenser, in which batteries 1 , the control electronics board 20 and the other drive parts are housed. As shown, the control board 20 lies in a guide 95 for mechanical stabilization of the board. The guide 95 preferably consists of a groove 96 formed in the housing 18 . Furthermore, an internal thread 110 can be seen at the connection connection to the cylinder with the lubricant, which can be connected to the external thread 100 - see FIG. 10- of the cylinder 4 . A further illustration of the housing 18 is shown in FIG. 11b, but from a perspective rotated by 90 degrees.

Fig. 12a shows a further plan view of the cylinder of the lubricant dispensing device with applied scale marks so that the user can see the level of the lubricant dispenser.

Fig. 12b illustrates once again that the cap 92 has a larger outer diameter than the external thread 93 , so that screwing the external thread into a lubrication point is possible only after prior detachment of the United cap 92 , which is connected in one piece with the dispensing area of the lubricant .

Fig. 13 shows a stabilizer element 102 with an opening 103 , which is provided with an internal thread 104 for receiving the lubricator with its external thread de 93 . The stabilizer element can be screwed onto an external thread of a lubrication point and accommodate the lubricant dispensing device on the other side. The contour adjustment of the stabilizer element 102 to the outer edge of the lubricator enables a fluid connection of the stabilizer element. The stabilizer element can prevent the thread 93 from breaking away, in particular in the event of strong vibrations.

If the stabilizer element consists of an elastic medium, it can also Lubricant dispenser can be screwed directly to the lubrication point and the stabilizer element is then compressed, thus ensuring a stable position of the lubricant dispenser to the lubrication point.

Fig. 14 shows a block circuit diagram consisting of a monitoring control unit 200 with a display 201, z. B. in the form of optical control lamps, and an actuator 203 and a switch panel 204th In the example shown, the control monitoring unit is electrically connected to a lubricator 202 via lines 205 . Further lubricators can also be connected to the control monitoring unit 200 via corresponding lines. The lines 205 both apply voltage to the lubricator and carry out the exchange of control or level signals. For these signals, for example, the internal control evaluation unit 54 can serve the lubricator as a signal input and signal output unit, ie the control evaluation unit 54 receives corresponding control signals from the actuating device 203 and accordingly controls the piston feed and, on the other hand, corresponding signals sends back on the advance of the piston to the control monitoring unit 200 , so that on the display 201 can be read off information about the level of a particular lubricant. Since a specific switch of the switch strip 204 is assigned to each individual lubricant dispenser, the user can individually control each individual lubricant dispenser and have the level indicator displayed individually via each lubricant dispenser by actuating the desired actuation button which is assigned to a specific lubricant dispenser.

The assignment of a lubricator can also be saved electronically chured identifier, so that a lubricator, only if it previously received its own identifier and checked that it was correct absorbs speaking control signals and converts them internally into a piston jack.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that instead of a wired coupling a wireless coupling of the control monitoring unit, which is also a compu ter can be, can be provided.

If each individual lubricator has its own identifier, the Control of this lubricator all or the essential control signals provided with the appropriate identifier. When a control signal is received a received ID with your own electronically stored ID checked and if they match, the corresponding control signal is white forwarded. Furthermore, a signal is used to display the information has on the level indicator of the lubricator, also with the provided their own identifier, so that the central control monitoring unit corresponding level indicator for a specific lubricator can take and this also indicates to the customer. Instead of the tax shown device in the form of a knob for stepless donation regulation, can of course, a keyboard input from a computer can also be used.

The person skilled in the art will immediately see from the above that already every single one of the measures like the formation of the piston, the sealing  between the piston and the cylinder, the means for switching on the automati lubricator, the readability of the piston jack, the means for Pressure detection in the cylinder, etc. known from the prior art improve automatic lubricator, and that the individual measures can also be implemented independently of the other measures without to be inventive.

Claims (7)

1. Arrangement from a control monitoring unit ( 200 ), for. B. a Compu ter, and at least one coupled device for automatic lubricant dispensing ( 202 ) according to PCT / EP96 / 01577, the device for automatic lubricant dispensing means for pushing out lubricant and means for directly and / or indirectly detecting the state of the push-out means and condition signals determined by the detection means can be sent to the control monitoring unit ( 200 ) via the operation and / or condition of the pushing out means, which further processes these signals and displays the empty state of the device for automatic lubricant dispensing on a display unit ( 201 ). 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for automatic lubricant delivery receives control signals from an actuating device ( 203 ) of the control monitoring unit and controls the push-out means depending thereon. 3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control-monitoring unit ( 200 ) and the device for automatic lubricant delivery are wired or wirelessly coupled. 4. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that with a wired coupling also for Operation of the device for automatic lubricant dispensing required energy is wired can be fed. 5. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control-monitoring unit as a central control tion as the central level indicator of the connected devices automatic lubricant delivery. 6. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by means of the control monitoring unit an indivi dual control of each connected device for automatic Dispensing of lubricant is possible.   7. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each connected device for automatic Lubricant dispenser has its own identifier and with a control a device for automatic lubricant dispensing a control signal with a corresponding identification signal, which indicates the controlling device, via is portable.